Why Did Obama Change His Tune? Ctd

So how did we get where we are? The White House and Gates seemingly
didn’t want a vote this year. Activists wouldn’t let up. Murphy, Levin,
and Lieberman put in a heroic effort to salvage repeal. And in my
estimation, when Levin was one vote away in the Senate committee, White
House officials realized the repeal train was leaving without them and
not hopping aboard was a no-win situation. If it passed, they would get
no credit; if it failed by one vote, activists would castigate them for
withholding support.

This compromise could still fail, and make no mistake, the deal was
brokered by the White House, which then treated it as the redheaded
stepchild it never wanted in the first place. But the outcome win or
lose now has the administration's fingerprints on it, even though its
refrain since Monday morning has been that Congress was forcing its
hand.

Via Smith, who also notes that certain military chiefs are opposing action.

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